Looking back now Mr Brereton feels content the past decade has allowed him to create some light from the dark space they found themselves in when his 16-year-old grandson Benjamin Woodbury was killed in 2007.

Benjamin was riding his bike to school through Rutherford when he was hit by a bus, which then reversed over him. 

He was rushed to Maitland Hospital and then airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, but died on the way. 

Since then June 20 has been a very hard day. 

Mr Brereton has never forgotten the moment he learnt Benjamin wasn’t alive when he arrived at the hospital. 

But what happened next brought him a sense of relief and shaped his future. 

“The people at the helicopter were so kind to my daughter Joanne and we felt we wanted to help them save lives,” he said.

“They came to visit afterwards and spoke with us and they scattered his aches for us over Merewether. 

“They didn’t have to do any of that for us, but they did because they really cared and they felt for us and how we were feeling.”

When the grief over Benjamin’s death settled Mr Brereton and Mrs Woodbury found themselves at a Westpac Rescue Helicopter Maitland Support Group meeting.

They decided the best way to help people survive was to raise money for the service and keep it in the air. 

It wasn’t long before Mr Brereton was voted in as the chairman of the group – a role he initially did not see himself in.

But Mr Brereton has never been one to refuse a challenge, so he got to work and formed a plan to help the group raise as much money as possible.

It was through that venture Mr Brereton because a household name in Maitland. 

He’d be seen at the weekly meat raffles at the Hunter River Hotel in his red helicopter jumper, and he’d be at events with the yellow Westpac Rescue Helicopter stall asking for donations or for passers by to purchase some merchandise for the cause. 

He met many generous people and heard survivors speak of how the helicopter saved their life. 

“It’s surprising how many ties you have to people who have also needed the helicopter, or know someone who has used it,” he said. 

“I have always enjoyed meeting them and hearing about how they’re doing now.”

Health issues forced Mr Brereton to step down as chairman last year and recently he decided to end his work with the charity to focus on his health. 

It’s not the outcome he wanted, but he didn’t want to let the rest of the team down.

He said helping to make more people aware of the service, and how it is funded, as well as helping to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars is his legacy. 

“The helicopter only has 50 per cent of its expenses paid by the state government – the rest comes from fundraising and that’s why what we do is so important,” he said.

“In the area the helicopter flies there are 33 volunteer groups which are spread across that region and their only goal is to raise as much money as they can every year.

“It costs around $13 million to run the helicopter each year.”

The Maitland Support Group was raising around $50,000 a year when Mr Brereton took over.

He was able to regularly increase the yearly revenue.

“We started being able to bring the total up to $60,000 and then $70,000 – last year we were able to raise $87,000 and that is an incredible result for this community,” he said.

“I’ve always found the businesses in the greater Maitland area have been very generous and have always been willing to make a donation to the cause.”

Mr Brereton said spreading the charity’s message at events allowed more people to become aware of the need to donate – even if they could only spare a few dollars.

Over the years he organised for the group to attend Maitland Show, the Maitland Aroma Festival and the Hunter Valley Caravan, Camping, 4WD and Fish and Boat show.

Bowling clubs even came on board and held fundraising events for the group. 

“It’d be good for the group to be able to expand the events they do so they can keep raising awareness about the helicopter, but they’ll need more volunteers to do that,” Mr Brereton said.

“It’s all volunteer time that makes these things happen and the group definitely needs more people to help out. “With people getting older and having different commitments we have a constant turnover of volunteers and at times its difficult to muster the numbers to be able to be at an event.”

Mr Brereton said volunteering with the group was a rewarding experience that allowed people to give back to the community.

“Some of the volunteers have a personal connection to the service and others don’t,” he said.

“You don’t need to have a personal connection, what matters is that you want to help.”

To help phone 49520000.